Burn Injury FAQ
Serving West Virginia and Ohio
How long does it take to recover from a bad burn?
It depends on just how bad it was, and where on the body it was. Our skin has three main layers, and when the lower two layers are damaged, recovery takes longer because these layers contain blood vessels, sweat glands, hair follicles and nerves.
Any time the integrity of the skin is breached, as in a second or third degree burn (extending to the lower skin layers), scarring will happen. Each person forms scars in an individual way, so it’s hard to predict exactly how a person will scar, how extensively, and how quickly they will heal. In general, scarring takes up to a year to fully complete. If the scars are large and raised, surgery may be able to reduce their prominence, and this would extend the final recovery time further.
What is the first medical care given to burn victims?
When a burn is severe, the person is first treated by the ambulance personnel, and then in a hospital emergency room. Even a very severe burn does not usually kill a person quickly. Any immediate death would more likely be from breathing difficulty or associated injuries. So the person’s airway and lungs are checked immediately. If necessary, a tube will be inserted and oxygen given. Then the blood circulation is checked and any constrictive clothing removed.
While these things are being done, the burning process is stopped as much as possible, by cooling burned areas with sterile saline solution or water and removing charred clothing. Then the person is placed in dry, sterile sheets.
Follow-up care involves use of topical antibiotics, treatment and prevention of swelling in the breathing apparatus, chemistry testing, X-rays and/or CT scans to identify any related injuries or trauma, pain management, and maybe a tetanus shot.
What sort of scars will a burn victim have afterwards?
Scarring is somewhat different for each individual. Different people heal at different rates, and have individual ways of scarring. Ideally, the final scar will be skin-colored and flat. There are three types of undesirable scar:
- Contractures – which involves permanent tightening of the skin, affecting the muscles and tendons, and therefore mobility. It might also damage some of the nerves. Physical therapy and exercises can help to minimize them, and if necessary, surgery, a skin graft, or one of several new techniques.
- Hypertrophic scars – which are red, raised, and thick. They often improve given enough time and can be reduced by steroid injections or local application.
- Keloid scars – which grow to be larger than the injured area. They are usually red at first and become dark brown later. While they’re forming they can be ridged and itchy. They can be irritated by clothing. There are some ways to reduce their size, using various injections, freezing, radiation, or surgery.
If you or a loved one has been severely burned, please talk to our experienced burn injury attorney team. We can assess your situation and inform you of your legal rights. We have served the residents of West Virginia and Ohio for many years and are intimately familiar with the laws of these states.
Why not allow yourself to benefit from the high standards of service we offer at the law offices of Jim Leach. Contact our personal injury attorneys today for your free case evaluation.
Our burn injury lawyers represent burn injury victims throughout West Virginia and Southern Ohio including the communities of Belpre, Marietta, Parkersburg, Wheeling, Athens, Jackson, Vienna, Morgantown, Charleston, Huntington, Ravenswood and Ripley.
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